Lovefast 11: Arab Women - finding true freedom
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Day 11 of 30
As told anonymously to Gillie from the Mahabba team
Inspired by today's entry in the 30 Days of Prayer booklet, but with a UK twist!
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Daily verse
Thought for the day
Arab Women: finding true freedom
I have been privileged to get to know many Arab Muslim women both in the UK and overseas over the last 18 years but my first Muslim friend, Samira, was a lady from Saudi Arabia whose husband was studying in Edinburgh. I was studying Arabic and she wanted to learn English so we agreed to practise on each other. I was the first British person that she had connected with even though she had been in the country for several months and it was a fascinating cultural experience for both of us.
She used to feed me huge meals of rice and chicken at three in the afternoon, and we would sit on the floor together with her children, eating with our hands as she told me about her life in Saudi. I invited her out for coffee and discovered that she had never been in a coffee shop before. Every outing turned into a journey of discovery and we turned a few heads as we shopped together in Edinburgh, me in my standard student attire and Samira in her black burqa.
The thing I remember most about Samira was her fascination for all things Western, and her desire to know more about a life that was so different from her own. She was searching for freedom and hoped to find it in Western society. I hope I sowed a few seeds of the gospel and the liberty that Jesus offers us in the time we spent together, although at the time she was more interested in the freedoms that living in Britain gave her. Let’s pray for Muslim women that are seeking freedom to find it in the only One that can truly release us from all our burdens.
Prayer for the day
Father we thank you that you offer us your free gift of salvation. We pray for Muslim women all over the world that their eyes would be opened to the truth of who You are and that they would find the true freedom offered through Jesus Christ.
Daily action
Please note: actions were written before the COVID-19 pandemic. Please consult the latest advice from your local public health authority or government and adhere to any current restrictions on travel or social situations.
Initiate a conversation today with someone from a different culture. Ask them about their home country and enjoy listening to their stories.
NB if social distancing is in force then it can be over the garden face (6ft distance), by text, mobile, Facebook, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Skype. Let’s use our imaginations.....
Your turn
Let us know how it went! Leave a comment on our online community platform, Discourse, or tag us on social media with the #lovefast hashtag on social media.
Resources
Do you want to involve your church in blessing Muslim people through prayer and friendship?
There are new 30 Days of Prayer church resources available for you:
Pray Together as a Congregation
Small Group Session
Night of Power Prayer Meeting
Prayer Walk Guide
What’s your next step after 30 Days? There are loads of resources to help you on your journey.